State requests NCLB waiver

As expected, Illinois is seeking a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, officials from the Illinois State Board of Education said.

GREG STEWART

As expected, Illinois is seeking a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, officials from the Illinois State Board of Education said.

"Increasing student achievement is Illinois' number one educational priority, and, as such, our state intends to pursue a waiver from NCLB, allowing us to create our own accountability system," Gery Chico, chairman of the State Board of Education, said in a news release issued last week.

"In the coming months, the State Board of Education will work with Governor Quinn and his administration on Illinois' proposal, with plans to submit early next year.

"We intend to enlist a diverse group of citizens to help us shape our request and develop the system that puts Illinois children first."

Earlier this fall, President Obama announced his plans to allow states to apply for waivers from NCLB, also known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Waiver applications came in response to harsh criticisms of the Bush administration legislation that created federal standards most educators say are impossible to reach.

"We are encouraged by the ISBE's decision to seek a waiver to the unrealistic and punitive framework of NCLB," said Paula Davis, superintendent of Pekin Community High School District 303. "As frustrating as the NCLB sanctions have been to our own district, our teaching staff has displayed tremendous professionalism in the face of unrealistic expectations.

". . .There is certainly reason to believe that the new system of accountability will be a significant improvement over what is in place now," she said.

This year, the state's top educators were particularly discouraged when only eight Illinois high schools made "adequate yearly progress" and 656 failed. Dunlap High School was one of those eight, having met the current standard of 82.5 percent.

". . .This stark statistic does not paint a true picture of Illinois' schools, nor the progress many of our schools have made toward closing achievement gaps," Chico said. "In fact, aspects of the law have put 'success' so far out of reach so as to be counterproductive."

The proposed system will include the following initiatives, the news release stated:

- The implementation of the Common Core State Standards, which are new, more rigorous learning standards.

- The development of new assessments based on these higher learning standards, which use multiple measures and provide better data.

- The promotion and utilization of technology.

- The development of a kindergarten survey to ensure the youngest learners are on track.

- The coordination of a statewide interagency partnership that will provide better coordinated early childhood services and performance ratings.